Blank Space
by cookies. x3
Summary: Finally Tony has everything he always wanted, a family, a science bro, and of course the one and only Captain America as his boyfriend. Life could be perfect. Except, when has life ever been kind to him? A story of love and misunderstandings. Companionpiece to True Strength and sequel to Yoga, Old Man. Can be read as a stand alone. Stony. Post Avengers. Pre Inifinity War.
1. Chapter 1

**ATTENTION!  
I don't care who you are, I don't care where you are, I don't care if you read this story or if you hate it. All of that doesn't matter but if you have already seen Avengers: Infinity War, please, contact me. I don't want to spoiler anyone but I seriously need to talk about this with someone. Just PM me, alright? :)  
**

* * *

 **Hello and welcome to my latest story (which I wrote like an eternity ago but never got to finish). This is a Stony story so if you don't like it, don't read.**

 **This is actually a companion piece to True Strength but if you don't feel like reading it, it doesn't really matter. The only main difference is that the New York invasion wasn't Loki's fault and he is technically a part of the Avengers in this one. Blank Space is a follow up to Yoga, Old Man (a one-shot which is mainly a PWP) but again, you can read this as a stand alone. Steve and Tony just slept with each other and agreed on a date afterwards which turned into.. this.**

 **I don't own anything, it's all Marvel's property. I just borrow it.  
**

* * *

Chapter One

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Tony pads into the kitchen on the communal floor. Without looking left or right he heads straight for the coffee machine which is already filled with the black wonderful liquid. He pours himself a cup and downs it without really tasting anything as it burns his tongue and throat. Vaguely he becomes aware of the light chatter in the room but he doesn't turn before pouring himself another cup.

Why he had stood up so early, he can't remember anymore.

The spy already sits on the counter with some toast in front of her, chatting with Legolas. Brucie had taken a seat on the table, hiding as usual behind his paper and decidedly ignores their general existence. His eggs, which Steve probably made him, stand untouched in front of the scientist who's too caught up in pretending to be caught up to notice. Spangles is still busy making himself breakfast, the smell of bacon and eggs finally reaches Tony's nose as well. The blond is in his training clothes, a sweater and sweatpants, having just returned from his morning jog. Where he takes the energy for strenuous activities like that at this time of the day is one of the biggest mysteries in Tony's life so far.

'Long night in the workshop?', Romanov asks, looking towards his disheveled form. One of her eyebrows has gone up as she assesses him critically.

'Something like that.', Tony grumbles, running a hand through his already messy hair. The brightness of the kitchen offends his eyes but he forces himself not to crawl back into bed. How anyone could be standing up this early free willingly and not being grumpy about it, is beyond him though that could be due to it being so early. The second cup of coffee is drained just as quickly as the first one to wake himself up further.

He snatches a toast from Natasha's stack which she lets go uncommented, a sign just how bad and sleepy he must still look. Tony flops down beside Bruce. The other scientist already shoves his plate towards him without looking up or saying a single word.

Some minutes and a few slices of bacon later, Steve sits down with them, smiling at them. His plate is full with food and Tony is impressed he doesn't weigh a ton with how much food the super soldier eats daily. He puts even Thor to a shame with it which says it all.

Tony smirks down to his plate while running his foot lightly over Steve's shin. The blond clears his throat, seeking to hide the blush behind a glass of orange juice though he doesn't seem to mind. If he would, he shouldn't have sat down right next to the inventor. Tony chances a glance to the spy and her boyfriend to make sure the gesture goes unnoticed. They are still busy chatting quietly so he needn't worry.

When Steve stands up to place his dishes in the dishwasher after eating in record time, Tony swallows his last bite, then turns to Bruce.

'I'll take another look at that glider thing today.' It had frustrated Tony greatly for he hadn't been able to figure out what makes the Chitauri tech work. It wounds his inventor pride to no end to not find what makes it tick.

'Yes, that's a good idea. I'll come down later and help.' Bruce looks away from his newspaper for the first time since Tony sat down. Finally having someone around who understands what Tony is talking about when he picks apart alien technology is a great relief.

The inventor nods, then stands up as well, leaving his plate right where it is. After all, it was supposed to be Bruce's anyway. 'Kay.' Tony heads for the fridge and gets a bottle of his vitamin drink before heading for the elevator. Steve is just a few steps in front of him.

He shoves Steve unceremoniously against the wall as soon as he is sure that no one would be able to see them, and leans up. Of course Steve is far too strong to be pushed around but he goes willingly enough, his blue eyes sparkling. The blond blushes slightly but his hands come up to Tony's hips. 'Morning, sweet cheeks.', Tony mumbles and presses their lips together.

Since their short tumble on the Helicarrier, they had dated each other which is a completely new concept to Tony. Keeping it a secret from their fellow Avengers had been rather difficult and uncomfortable but necessary. Tony and Steve had agreed upon this on their first date. The pressure of being watched and judged by all their friends is just too much for a fresh romance. Especially since they hadn't been able to tell how long any of this would go. And Tony wouldn't have been able to stand the stares of Natasha just waiting for him to mess this up. So, secrecy it is. Well, at least for now. It makes this all a little bit more interesting as well. Tony feels like a teenager again, hiding to sneak a kiss from his lover.

Until now the brunet man hadn't done anything that would endanger the relationship he has with Steve, he hadn't drunken so much alcohol, hadn't done one all-nighter since returning from the Mansion to the Tower after the repairs in New York had mostly been completed and hadn't turned after other people, hadn't even flirted with anyone. Seriously, he really deserves a medal for that.

Tony enjoys the view when he breaks the kiss and Steve slowly opens his baby blue eyes with the slightly dilated pupils. His lips are still parted. 'Good morning, Tony.', he whispers back, trying to regain some of his composure.

The brunet can't stop the twitch of his lips when he purses them. 'It's really rude to to let me wake up alone, you know?', he informs Steve.

A smile tugs at his lips. Steve's hand comes up to caress Tony's cheek. They share another kiss before Tony draws back and walks down the hallway. 'Got any plans tonight?', he asks, knowing Steve would be just a step behind him.

Steve throws a glance over his shoulder to make sure that no one had seen them, then walks after Tony. 'No, not yet.'

'How bout we go out for dinner?', Tony suggests, sounding as nonchalant as he can.

They reach the elevator and go down. 'Okay.', Steve says with a smile, leaning against the opposite wall, looking at Tony.

'Great.' Tony grins. 'Pick you up at seven?' That should give him enough time to tinker with the alien tech and get ready but not enough to get completely lost. Anyway, Bruce usually leaves at five so that would be a pretty good indicator. It's not that Steve would expect Tony to be on time anyway, he thinks.

Steve bites his lips. 'Better at half past.'

'Working for SHIELD again?' Tony rolls his eyes. Why the blond insists on still working for that organization though they got their own team he probably won't ever understand. He's done talking him out of it however, and simply accepts that as part of who Steve is, always wanting to do more.

Steve shrugs and the elevator stops at his floor.

'Okay, see you later.' Steve leans down and kisses him before stepping out and heading for his personal apartment. Because the Asgardians had left some weeks ago, Steve lives alone on his floor, the other three Avengers share the floor under him. This is of course completely in Tony's interest as none of the others would watch them all the time and they can sneak out of their rooms into the other's bed without being seen. Tony had placed him on that floor with the knowledge if one of the other inhabitants, namely Point Break and Reindeer Games, would see them by chance, that they would be the least likely to judge or tell on them. Well, at least Thor would surely not say a thing.

The doors shut and the elevator heads further down to his workshop in the basement where they keep the dangerous stuff that could blow up or endanger someone. Which apparently includes ninety percent of Tony's devises and experiments if he listens to the other Avengers. Bruce had organized their research and experiments so that everything would be in order even with twice as many scientists in the labs than Tony is used to.

But his personal research has to wait right now as SHIELD had granted them access to the technology the Chitauri had brought to Earth during the invasion five months ago and Tony and his science bro are busy analyzing it. And probably will be for the next few months. SHIELD has a close watch on the alien tech which the Avengers helped to collect and Tony helped lock up. The agents had been busy sorting through all the stuff, finally Fury allowed Bruce and Tony to access the most complete machines to find out how they work and find a way to reverse engineer them.

Tony grabs some of his tools, then immediately walks over to the glider with which the Chitauri had swooped down on the city. Without the main energy source, which had been the space ship Tony blew up with the nuke, it is difficult to make them work at all but Tony's got an idea to make it fly again. Somewhen in the middle Bruce comes in to help him and make sure that Tony doesn't get hit by the rising and falling air craft.

At quarter to seven Tony calls it a day and bids Bruce a good night who had stayed unusually long since they got caught up in one of their theories about the propulsion systems. He is sure if one of their friends suspects something it certainly is the calm scientist who watches him out of the corner of his eyes and wishes him a good evening.

When Tony showers, he remembers to hurry so he wouldn't still stand in a towel like he had at his and Steve's first official date. He had forgotten about the time and actually spend too much time trying to decide what best to wear (would a dark suit be better or should he rather wear a fancy one to impress the blond?). If Steve is anything, he is on time and never comes too late, so when Tony hadn't shown up in the common room at two minutes past eight (and Tony swears it hadn't been any later), their agreed meeting time, he had taken the elevator to check on the brunet man, finding him pondering over his wardrobe just clad in a towel. If Steve hadn't seen him naked before, well, who is he kidding? Tony doesn't care who sees him naked, so he had just excused himself that he made the blond wait and went on pulling a random suit and getting dressed. Their secrecy, which Tony had induced at their first date because he thought a repressed man from the forties couldn't possibly find enjoyment in being stared at in a crowded public restaurant, had let to them finding a nice small restaurant with waiters who don't care who they are and which coincidences to be also a place the paparazzi apparently haven't found yet. Tony might be used to them but the rest of his team isn't, especially Steve. He had wanted their first date to be about them and not about being photographed by a mad crowd who would never let them live this down.

Their first dinner had started with Tony talking to silence the unbearable silence but at the end of the evening, Steve had given him the sweetest kiss, making everything alright. Somehow the blond had managed to fill his stomach with butterflies like he had never felt before. From then on Tony had minutely planned their meetings so that he wouldn't be disappointed or lose interest.

Steve is a great friend once Tony had let him be and hadn't mocked him to shut him up. Even outside of the safe four walls of Tony's apartment they get along well by now, the team had noticed the change but blamed the alien invasion for Tony's slightly changed behavior.

His heart is beating painfully when the elevator stops on Steve's floor and he knocks on the door. How can he still be this excited when picking up his lover?, Tony wonders though it doesn't matter.

'Hey. Ready to go?', he asks when a smiling blond opens the door and greets him with a chaste kiss, freeing Tony of any doubt and anxiety.

'Sure.' Their fingers entwine as they step back in the elevator to head to their favorite restaurant.

Some hours later Tony still tries to catch his breath. No matter how often he falls into bed with Steve, he can't get used to the glorious feeling of touching the soldier, of just being with him. He is still draped over the blond, the warm arms encircling him and keeping him close to his side. Like most evenings they ended up in Tony's penthouse after a good meal and a walk through the empty park.

Tony has his face buried in the crook of Steve's neck, breathing in the sweat and his sweet vanilla scent. Steve runs his fingers lightly up and down his back, lulling the genius slowly to sleep.

'I love you.', Tony murmurs sleepily before falling asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for the feedback, it is much appreciated :3  
**

* * *

Chapter Two

It's really not his fault. In all of Tony's life Captain America had been his idol. He blames Howard for that particular fetish. Howard's obsession with finding the Captain who was lost in the ice had brought the first Avenger to Tony's notice when he was just a child in the first place. Maybe Tony had just worshiped the Captain to please his father, maybe he had tried to be like him because of that till he became a teenager. When he was eight he had even dressed as the Captain for Halloween, with a self build shield and everything.

Maybe after all it is just in his generation and Howard isn't to blame. There had been comic books, collectible action figures and everything else the human mind could think of when Tony grew up. Every child wanted to be like Captain America, talk about Captain America, read about Captain America. It was crazy.

So it was no big surprise that this infatuation and hero worship had transformed into not so innocent fantasies when his body had hit puberty because, how could he ignore such a gorgeous specimen? So when years later, on a plaza in Germany, he had met the real thing, of course Tony had had the feeling that he already knew who was standing in front of him and had, if he be honest with himself, had a crush on him instantly.

That Captain America might have turned out to be a great big jerk in the beginning, which could have also been part to Tony projecting the resentment for his father, that Tony was never good enough for him, that the search for a stupid relic from WWII was always more important than Howard's family, to the, so Tony thought, very source of his problems. Anyway, it had effectively crushed Tony's deep underlying adoration for the leader of their ragtag group of misfits.

The man behind the winged cowl, Steve, however, turned out to be very different from what Tony imagined him to be. He even apologized for being such an idiot. Okay, he tried before they tumbled into bed that first time on the Helicarrier. Still, it's counting. So Tony had needed up to no time to fall head over heels for the gorgeous blond again, with the real deal this time around. And how couldn't he? Steve is not the pinnacle of human perfection people take him for. He is self-righteous and picky about his food and has terrible taste in movies and music and they still bicker a lot, especially when it's about the team or other important and unimportant stuff, so literally all the time, Steve is secretive and a little absentminded when there is no call of action. In the end none of that matters, it makes him only more adorable in Tony's eyes. Furthermore, he is good for Tony.

So, if Tony is fair to himself, he had been in this relationship with Steve far longer than the blond because of his infatuation with his Captain persona. Which is why he said what he said last night. He hadn't even meant to. It just, kinda, slipped.

With that thought Tony wakes up. Seconds later his heart hammers and his arc reactor has to work hard to keep up with it when realization hits him hard. His breath is caught in his throat as panic seeps through his entire being. For a moment he attempts to convince himself that it was but a dream, that he couldn't have possibly declared his love for Steve just before falling asleep, because, who would do that? That theory is crushed instantly though. He knows what he said and Tony's pretty sure that Captain Super-Hearing heard exactly what he said there in bed. He curses himself, his father and the whole freaking world just to be sure. What had he just done? For god's sake, why had he said that? What had he been thinking? Right, he hadn't been thinking at all in the post coital bliss and had just said the first thing that came to his mind.

Tony takes some deep breaths and opens his eyes, ready to face Steve who probably hadn't been able to sleep all night. He is so thoughtless, saying to his unprepared boyfriend that he loves him and then, without explanation, without wasting time, had fallen asleep. But the bed is empty, the covers on Steve's side neatly made.

'Shit.', he curses. This is bad. Quite possibly he had destroyed what they had just because he couldn't stay awake for another second, couldn't keep his mouth shut. He is on a self punishing path when the sounds of breakfast making reaches his ears.

Steve hadn't left.

Tony breathes a sigh of relief. He sits up in bed, running his hands through his hair. What is he supposed to say? What does anyone say after saying 'I love you' to their unsuspecting boyfriend and then just falling asleep after that? Fuck, that has never happened to him. Of course, a lot of his bedmates had said the L-word in the heat of passion to them but either Tony had left before any embarrassing situation could arise out of that or they had left (more accurately: been thrown out by Pepper).

Slowly he stands up, trying to postpone the upcoming argument he is sure that will follow his impossible behavior. The smell of eggs and bacon is soothing. Steve surely wouldn't make him breakfast if it would be a 'you totally overstepped the boundaries and I never want to see you again' talk that's in front of Tony. But that doesn't mean it will get any easier or that Steve won't be mad and demand to talk.

He messes his hair up a little more in an attempt to control it after slipping on a tee and sweatpants.

'Morning.' Tony aims for a nonchalant tone when he steps into his kitchen in the penthouse.

Steve turns around surprised. His already in his slacks and his white t-shirt. The spatula comes up with his hand. 'Good morning.'Steve looks handsome in the soft light of the morning. Tony tends to forget because the blond usually already for his morning jog when he wakes up. The playboy is totally alright with that but he wouldn't mind seeing such a breathtaking sight more often.

Tony steps closer but isn't sure what to expect. His kitchen is pretty big considering he almost never spends time here and uses the communal kitchen downstairs more often than not. And Steve uses it, like, never. He always eats breakfast with the others and only cooks for Tony in his own apartment. So this might be a really bad sign. Tony can't just walk away and let this blow over like he really, really wants to right now.

No, this is too important, he tells himself. Steve is too important. And Steve doesn't look too mad at him. Actually he smiles and if that isn't an invitation, Tony doesn't know. Then the blond makes the decision of how to best greet him so it wouldn't be awkward, for Tony, puts down the kitchenware and steps right in front of the brunet man, placing his hands on Tony's hips and kissing him softly.

Tony can barely breathe and refuses to get his hopes up but it's already too late. So he tries to make the kiss last, delaying the inevitable disappointment that would follow the end of it. Steve chuckles into the kiss but he doesn't seem to mind. Tony's mind spins in circles. Maybe the blond had stayed here to rectify yesterday's misunderstanding. Maybe Tony is worrying for nothing and Steve merely didn't have the chance to say it back?

'Tony.' He laughs softly when he tries to draw back and Tony refuses to give in. A smile stretches over the brunet man's face as well when he allows Steve to break the kiss.

Tony is greeted by a blinding smile on the handsome face. He lets his hand trace the line of Steve's jaw.

Is he imagining the sadness lingering in the baby blue eyes when Steve kisses his forehead? Tony's worry is back instantly because the other man certainly doesn't look like one who's about to say 'I love you'. But he decides to play along with Steve's emphasized nonchalance. Because despite the undeniable sadness in his eyes, Steve still smiles and turns back to his eggs as if everything is alright.

'Already back from your morning jog?', Tony asks to ease the tension. Does Steve want to end this after all? Or what is he sad about? He is sad about the upcoming end of their relationship, his helpful treacherous brain supplies. He pushes the thoughts away, afraid of the answer.

'Haven't gone yet.', he answers with a shrug as if that would be perfectly normal. Tony nods. This is bad, there is no reason to put it off any longer by pretending this didn't happen. Facing his fears, on the other hand, was never really Tony's stronghold. He tells himself again that Steve is too important to be lost over this. The soldier is polite if nothing else. He probably doesn't love Tony, not yet anyway, and knows no way around not saying the words without hurting his lover. That's going to be the problem, Tony tries to convince himself.

He leans against the counter next to the stove and looks at Steve. 'Listen, about last night..' Suddenly his words fail him. He doesn't want to take his words back, no way. Tony said that he loves Steve and he won't take it back because he meant it. Otherwise he wouldn't have said it. But he needs to make sure that the words, that were said a little too early, won't be misinterpreted. Steve must understand that he doesn't expect it to be said back because, yeah, they haven't been together for that long.

'Tony, you don't have to..', Steve waves it off. 'I understand.'

'No, Steve, I..' Tony scratches the back of his neck, not knowing how to best phrase the next part. 'I don't want anything to change or be awkward between us because of that. It just.. it slipped, okay?' Now it's out and he hears how pathetic he sounds. Begging and pleading with Steve to understand him.

Steve looks down to the floor. 'It was the situation.', he mumbles.

'Exactly.', Tony exclaims, glad that Steve is getting what he can't really explain. It has never happened to him before, the words had never slipped out unbidden. Then again, he doesn't think he ever loved someone like this. Tony always ran away before it could get so serious. 'But that doesn't mean-'

Steve turns the stove off and faces Tony, making him stop midsentence. 'You don't need to explain. I just..' He doesn't finish the sentence but he doesn't need to. God, what had he done? Of course Steve can't say it back without meaning it. He is not the type of person to lie about a thing like this. It's too important for him. And Tony is glad that he doesn't lie.

Tony sighs. 'I am sorry, okay? It really wasn't my intention last night.' He had wanted his first 'I love you' to be something special, something Steve would look back to fondly and would like to remember, not some sentence Tony dropped on him after sex.

Steve nods, still not really looking at him. 'It's okay.'

'Really?', he asks, doubting Steve's words. He doesn't look okay.

Finally he looks up and tries a little smile. It's a little forced but Tony's willing to take it for now. 'It's okay, really, Tony. Nothing has changed.'

Tony breathes a sigh of relief though Steve is wrong. A lot will change but maybe he hadn't destroyed their little something. Maybe Steve wouldn't be driven away. Steve likes him, and maybe would come to love him sometime, Tony is sure. It must have been a shock but he has hope that it would be forgotten in a few weeks. He wouldn't say the words again until Steve would be ready to hear them. 'So everything's alright?'

'Everything is fine between us. Honestly.' Steve kisses him pointedly. 'Nothing will change.', he repeats with a more honest smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh my, it's been forever since I updated and I am very sorry. I'll try to be better, really.**

* * *

Chapter Three

Steve's smile is a little forced but so is Tony's. There is an awkward tension which certainly hadn't been there last night though he isn't sure the others notice. It's movie night in Avengers Tower, the rest of the team had already assembled in the living room discussing the movie choice when Tony strides into the room, his eyes searching only for the Captain who gives him that weird little smile. He tries to show Steve that there is no need to feel uncomfortable, all the while trying to feel the confidence he radiates. Something doesn't feel right between them, no matter how hard Tony tries.

He flops down on the sofa near Steve, ignoring the general commotion in the room but also not starting a conversation with the blond, trying to play down his nervousness and wanting to give him the chance to initiate the next contact. It's just been a wee few hours since the awkward conversation they had, it is to be expected that Steve isn't just going to shake it off like that. Tony listens to Clint and Thor bicker about some of the movies, not really caring about which one they'll watch. Out of the corner of his eye Tony continues observing Steve, probably reading more into his posture and his fiddling than there is to it. Did the blond turn away when he sat down? Is he just imaging the twitch in the muscly arms which are crossed as Steve stares at the TV with more intensity than necessary? Tony shakes his head, telling himself off for being so insecure about their relationship. Nevertheless,Steve's eyes find Tony more than once but the brunet pretends not to notice so, if just to not freak out his boyfriend even more than he earlier today did.

After the team finally decides on _Alien_ , Steve suggests to get them all popcorn while they start the film. It sounds like an excuse to flee the room and Tony. The inventor had never one to listen to his instincts which now yell at him to leave Steve alone and give him some time for himself.

So Tony walks after him a few minutes later, not being able to handle this suspension. He had felt bad the whole day despite their talk in the morning, even Bruce had noticed when Tony messed up the same wiring for the fifth time in a row and suggested he'd take the day off with his mind so clearly otherwise occupied.

He silently watches Steve for a few seconds from the doorway. He is stunning and naive. Steve hadn't had any other real relationship before him, at least not with a man, and he has no idea about relationships in general. Tony finds that very endearing and refreshing but also knows that he probably scarred the boy for his life with his hasty declaration of love. The whole day he had tried to suppress that feeling, unsuccessfully.

He needs to know that Steve's alright though Tony knows he isn't. A kid (and Tony doesn't care how old Steve technically is) shouldn't have to handle stuff like this, especially on his own, and he should have known better than to drop it on him. Steve wouldn't know how to handle such a declaration even if he would feel the same, things being as they are it must totally overwhelm the blond.

Steve eventually notices him but ignores him though his cheeks turn slightly pink. It's not like anyone could sneak up on the hero of WWII. When the popcorn he wanted to get is nice and warm, he puts it in a bowl. Only then Steve turns around to face Tony with a sigh. Maybe he hopes that years of listening to Metallica and AC DC deafened Tony enough that he would overhear this reaction. Tony tries his best to ignore the sting of rejection. Is Steve already this annoyed by him?

The blond tries to walk straight past him, evading his gaze. Tony blocks his way with his arm. 'Can we talk?' It sounds weak even in his own ears.

'I'll just place the bowl on the coffee table.' Could there be any more transparent excuse? If Steve would enter the room occupied by their friends he wouldn't leave it again until he'd be sure to either leave it together with someone else or until Tony would be gone so they wouldn't have a chance to be alone again this night. It hurts more than it should to know that Steve tries to evade him in spite of what he said this morning.

Tony looks up at him, forcing his own guilt to be quiet. 'Steve. Please.', he asks. It's as close to begging as he dares just to venture.

'Fine.' Steve sighs and stops his attempts to walk past him, placing the popcorn on the counter, crossing his arms as soon as this layer, that separated them, is gone.

'I meant what I said, okay?' Tony lets go of the doorway which he had grabbed in an attempt to keep his distance, his hand comes up to caress Steve's cheek. Unconsciously he leans into the touch. 'But I don't want it between us, I want to be with you. You can take your time, but don't forget this.' Tony leans up to kiss him, wanting to convey the emotions he can't express right now.

'Not here.' Steve blushes slightly but leans down to meet him halfway.

'Yes, right here.', he says in a whisper against Steve's lips, then Tony presses chaste kisses on them as if to convince him to stay with him. What does it matter to Tony if someone sees them? He wouldn't care if their friends would know about their relationship and right now open affection doesn't seem to bother Steve either.

Steve eventually relents to his attention, and kisses him back, accepting the butterfly kisses Tony showers him with. The brunet man draws back and has to resist to say the magic L-word again upon seeing his handsome perfect boyfriend glancing through half-lidded eyes at him. His heart skips a beat but this time he keeps his mouth shut, not wanting to scare the younger man away again. So Tony merely kisses him again, trailing down Steve's jaw and neck.

'Tony, it's.. it's fine.', the blond says. Is it?, Tony asks himself but remains silent and lets go of Steve.

Steve picks up the bowl when Tony steps to the side to let him pass, being flustered. As if any of their friends would move once they settled on the sofa for a movie night.

Tony places his hand on Steve's chest to stop him again, but lightly this time. He isn't sure how to phrase his request so he just blurts it out before he can rethink everything.

'Will you come over this night? Or I could come over.', he immediately suggests when he sees the hesitation on Steve's face, covering his own insecurity. 'It's both fine, really, I don't care. Though my bed is more comfy.' Tony presses his lips together when he realizes that he starts babbling. He doesn't want Steve in his bed for sex or anything else, he just found he sleeps better with Steve's regular breathing next to him.

Hesitantly the blond nods and tries a small smile which fails miserably. Tony's hand travels further south to his stomach and he flashes his trademark Stark grin at Steve. This had gotten them into this situation, maybe it would get them out of it again.

'I'll make it worthwhile.', he promises, kissing Steve's cheek before heading for the fridge. The blond leaves without another word. Tony opens the fridge but takes one of his vitamin shakes instead of the beer he intended to get. Alcohol is something he really shouldn't start with right now.

Tony walks back to the cinema room, flopping down next to Bruce to grant Steve some time and space. He can't concentrate on the movie but stays nonetheless. His thoughts drift to the blond on the other side though Tony wants to look at him he doesn't. It would be pushy, he decides.

Eventually even the longest movie ends, the team withdraws slowly, one after the next. Not that Tony would know. He almost flees the room the second the credits begin to roll over the screen.

'See you tomorrow?', Bruce calls after him, a slight crease of worry on his forehead. He suspects that there is something going on with him, however, he knows better than to call Tony out on it.

'Sure.', Tony mutters. Despite Steve's promise he doesn't assume the blond would come over this night and runs to hide from that truth. Tony isn't good with feelings, hell, he had no real relationship like ever either. Relationships need trust and Tony isn't especially good with trust. He just can't trust Steve to keep his words and doesn't want to stick around to hear Steve confirm his suspicions. As of right now, the blond had had almost two hours time to think of a reasonable excuse to not come see Tony.

Holing himself up in his own living room with a tablet, Tony seeks to distract himself and tells himself that he isn't waiting, nope. Steve's coming would mean that he would want to be the one fixing this mess and that is Tony's responsibility. The graphics of his newest Iron Man armor in front of his eyes blur. He forces himself to focus on his work, after all the next alien invasion might come next week for all he knows.

The brunet man cannot tell how much time passed but the moon is high in the sky when there is a knock on the door.

'Steve.', Tony says, being a little surprised when he opens the door.

Steve pushes past him. 'Sorry that I am late.' He looks around the room as if to see what Tony has been doing. 'Were you working?'

Tony shakes his head. It doesn't matter anyway. 'Are you okay?'

'Of course.' His smile is a little less forced than before, Tony notices with joy. 'It just.. surprised me, that's all. I just needed a moment for myself.'

'And you can have that.', he is quick to say. Steve can have all the time he wants to process things. The fact that the soldier showed up here is enough for Tony to believe that they can fix this.

Steve seems to have steeled himself for this conversation. There is a little of Captain America on his face when he says: 'I'd like to spend the evening with you.'

Tony can't help his grin, isn't even trying to fight it. 'Okay.' Finally Steve leans down to give him a kiss.

'What were you doing?' Steve wanders further into the room. Tony is willing to let his stiff posture slide for now.

'Working on my suit.' The brunet shrugs. If anyone else would have asked he would have lied and told them it's work for his and Bruce's experiments.

'Don't you work on a lot of suits lately?', Steve inquires, picking up the tablet to gaze at the latest designs. There is a light crease on his forehead. Some moments later his eyes fix on Tony's. 'Is this about New York?'

'Possibly.' Tony evades his gaze and takes the tablet from his hands because if he doesn't want to talk about one thing before going to bed is that freaking wormhole. 'Listen-'

Further he doesn't get because Steve cuts him off with a kiss, deepening it within seconds. Who could blame Tony for just going with it when Steve seems so desperate about it? So he gladly accepts the greedy hands that push him towards the bedroom.

An undefinable amount of time later, a panting Steve sinks down into the pillows. Tony rests his head on his shoulder to catch his breath as well. Long after Steve's breaths evened out, he still lies awake.


End file.
